


Wise Men Say, Only Fools Rush In

by tragedybunny



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:00:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28677810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tragedybunny/pseuds/tragedybunny
Summary: Katarina Du Couteau desires only one thing in life, to make her own destiny beyond her family's legacy and manipulations. To that end, she accepts a job with Noxus Holdings, working under CEO Jericho Swain. It isn't long though before she finds herself challenged in ways she never expected and making choices that will alter her life forever.
Relationships: Katarina Du Couteau/Garen Crownguard, Katarina Du Couteau/Jericho Swain
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	Wise Men Say, Only Fools Rush In

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Again My lovelies.  
> Here I am with a foray into Modern AU. Let's see where this will take us. ❤  
> As always, your comments and feedback are my lifeblood.

She watched her father read the carefully folded letter with the unmistakable scowl of irritation crinkling his eyes. Taking a deep breath she recalled Garen’s words to her the night before. “I love you and you deserve to be free to live your life as you choose.” 

“Are you serious Katarina?” His voice was calm but rage colored his skin, leaving it a shade of crimson to match that which was left in his graying, short-cropped hair. 

“I am. I can’t go on being assigned bullshit, nothing cases at this firm. It’s degrading.” Crossing her arms, she focused solely on standing her ground against the titan of a man who was both father and employer to her. Marcus Du Couteau ran the family law firm with an iron fist, sharp tongue, and ruthless disposition, having inherited the venerable establishment from his father. Down the years, he’d raised his children to take on not only the family business but the family morality too. 

He let the paper fall to the neatly waxed surface of the immaculate desk with what was obvious utter contempt and rose from the high-backed chair, causing her pulse to quicken. A conditioned terror of him began to emerge from the recesses of her mind. “Cassie just started with us. How dare you try to abandon your family at such an important time.” His voice was not raised, it rarely was when he was angered, he was a man who did not need to bluster to threaten. 

He stalked his way around toward her, removing the desk as a barrier between them with alarming quickness. “And she already has better cases than I do, her and Talon!” 

Emerald eyes that had a striking resemblance to her own narrowed, a sure sign his patience was all but run out. “Neither of them have shown themselves to be quite as stubbornly prideful as you have.” Since she was no longer a child he could physically beat into submission, his weapons had become more psychological, shame, guilt, and of course fear. 

Subconsciously, her fingers reached up to trace the line of the scar that carved its way down the left side of her face. The accident had nearly taken her eye along with her naive, over-inflated sense of self-worth. Her first case out of law school, assigned by the very man in front of her now, had been far beneath her talents, or so she believed. In a fit of irritation and disgust, she’d handed it off to an intern to draft their arguments before heading off to slopes around Mt. Targon and its venerable university for a ski retreat with Garen and his sister.

There were days she could still see that tree looming before her, feel the sensation of knowing she would never stop in time. She was lucky the one scar was all she’d ended up with, that and a concussion that had left her in a foggy haze for several days. During that time there’d been a settlement offer and another lawyer had filled in, taking the terrible deal. The firm had been humiliated and in a rage, her father had refused to fund the surgery to repair the angry red blemish. Now, with a couple of years’ perspective and the funds to make it possible, she no longer desired its removal. It served as an important reminder to her of several very painful lessons from that day. 

She gathered her courage, one of the lessons from that fateful day was that she had to slay those demons of her past, he was just another she had to face. “I’m stifling here. To do anything of worth I need to move on.” 

Marcus rubbed his temples forcefully, agitation evident. The simple truth was, he couldn’t really stop her. No matter how he seethed and threatened, she would walk out of his office no longer in his employ. That made her even warier, he was dangerous when backed into a corner, and she couldn’t predict his tactics. Suddenly he grew calm again, almost genial, his hand reaching up to rub his chin in a sure tell he’d thought of something, and she braced herself for his next strike. “So tell me, where it is you will be leaving us for. You must have some plan to support your frankly lavish lifestyle and that costly little apartment that’s so dear to you. Did Garen get you a nice position at Demacia Corp?” 

Inwardly she bristled and struggled to keep it from showing, he couldn’t be allowed the small victory of getting to her. It was even more galling to have Garen dragged into it as he’d made no secret of his disdain for her fiancée. “I’ll find something, I have savings and I can always downgrade what I need to.”

The stare of contempt he’d given her while she spoke gave her the unpleasant sensation of an adult negotiating with a child, but then he did something infinitely worse. He began to laugh, a nasally, hateful little sound, the kind of forced laughter one would spew at a rival’s misfortune, a sound that reverberated around the austere office. “So determined my little Kat, just like when you were young.” The words were not a fond remembrance, but another threat. “I’ll tell you what, let’s make a deal.” She steeled herself, her father was in no way one to make a bargain that didn’t somehow benefit him. “An old client of mine has an opening in their legal department, take the job, excel at it, and I’ll have you back as a full partner.” The smile that accompanied his words made her skin crawl. 

A lifetime of living with him had taught her to be distrustful, as genuine as this offer seemed, there was bound to be more to it. But then again, what choice did she have? She would at least be out from under his thumb and making a bit of a start on her own. Whatever he had in mind, she could make the situation her own. “Fine. What are the details?” Her voice carried a sureness that she couldn’t actually feel. 

That awful smile widened. “Legal counsel for Noxus Holdings. Their CEO is the client I spoke of, Jericho Swain.” 

Time froze for a moment, the weight of the offer sinking in. She’d almost forgotten about the connection her family had to that notorious company. Noxus Holdings was the kind of company that bought and sold others, retaining the most profitable, and carving up the rest as necessary to keep stocks high. The first catch to her father’s deal was the relationship between that company and Demacia Corp. For years there’d been attempted buyouts and takeovers, leaving many of the employees whose families had been there generationally with a fierce dislike for everything Noxus. This included Garen, and many other members of the Crowngaurd family, her future in-laws. The second catch was that she would still, in a way, be in her father’s control, and many would see holding the position as nepotism, earning her few friends. The CEO himself was known to be cold and ruthless, everything she expected of a man who dealt with her father, meaning she would not be given an easy ride, even if her family ties got her in the door. “Perfect, I’ll get my resume sent over.” She challenged him, voice terse, arms still crossed, waiting to see if he continued to throw hurdles in her path. 

He merely shrugged, perhaps he didn’t realize she had judged all the factors and thought she accepted blindly. It would be like him to judge her in such a poor light. “Well then, I suppose I must accept your resignation. You are still expected to be a credit to the family name, wherever you go.” Returning to the other side of the desk, he carefully folded her letter and tucked it back into the envelope from whence it came. “You’re dismissed, Katarina.” With no further fuss over the matter, the conversation was ended. 

Still a bit in disbelief, she turned before he could change his mind, and nearly sprinted through the door. The secretary stationed just outside gave her a curious glance but wisely didn’t let it linger. She continued her obvious brisk pace until she made it to the elevator, short, sensible heels, clicking resoundingly against the marble. The floor reserved for partners always gave her the sense of being in a grand mausoleum, impressive, but somehow empty and hollow. Yet, she had always yearned to ascend to this place, to be counted among those acknowledged as the worthy by her father. These last few years though had seen her hopes slip away, like sand through her fingers, until all she desired was an escape. She let her gaze wander to the empty office near the elevator. She’d been repeatedly bludgeoned with the threat of Talon’s promotion to that spot over her until she was numb to the idea. Today had renewed her perspective though, she now had two paths to victory, despite what her father likely believed. Either she’d return triumphant and claim what should be hers, or find another place where her talents would be respected and lauded. This was the only chance she’d have, failure couldn’t even enter her thoughts. 

She stabbed the elevator button harshly, eager to return to her own floor, and stood there, shifting her weight from foot to foot impatiently. The resounding, cheery ding broke the hushed silence of the hall, and when the doors closed securely after her, she could finally exhale in relief. After all the planning, fantasizing, and rehearsing for this moment, she’d still needed every bit of courage she could muster and now fatigue was settling in as adrenaline wore off, and something else as well. Perhaps it was genuine excitement for her future, something she hadn’t felt since she’d gotten engaged since the rest of her life had seemed to deteriorate after that. As much as she’d come to desire distance from her parents, she'd hesitated taking this last step. Freedom could only be gained with the sacrifice of her claim to the family legacy, at least that’s what she’d believed. She’d convinced herself that her apartment away from the family manor would be enough to let her continue on. Watching Cassie’s career gently guided to the pinnacle had been the last straw, nearly reducing her to tears on a regular basis. 

By the time there was another ding and the elevator released her back to the floor her office was on, she was more resolute than ever. She would make this situation her own, no matter who had set it into motion. Perhaps with the distance, she could even begin to repair the relationship with her siblings. Traveling down the familiar halls of the ancient office building that was styled like something out of a movie from a time when men were men and women were dames, the constant buzz of activity washed over her. Du Couteau and Associates was one of the oldest and most well-respected law firms in Valoran City. She ducked down a small hall with a few doors leading to offices that, although not quite as grand as those of the top floor, were still impressive enough. Finding hers slightly ajar, she pushed it further open to reveal, as though summoned by her thoughts, Cassie and Talon. 

Perched on the edge of her desk, Cassie eyed the space around her as though she were taking mental measurements and performing some sort of calculation in her mind, a look of open hunger on her face. Her gaze drifted to the window and the dramatic view of the city skyline, hey eyes, chocolate brown flecked with gold, their mother’s eyes, widened in approval. Finally, she turned those eyes toward Kat, deigning to acknowledge her. It wasn’t the only feature she’d inherited from their mother. As much as Kat bore a resemblance to Marcus in her sharp, pointed features and shorter stature, Cassie had received her wavy blonde hair, square-shaped face, and rather proud nose from their mother. For his part, Talon had the good grace to sit in a chair, looking at his phone, a look on his face somewhere between disgust and disinterest. 

“I’m not going to lie to you Kitty-Kat,” she rolled her eyes at her family’s much hated nickname for her, “I am going to make fantastic use of this space.” Self-satisfaction and blatant greed dripped from her every word. 

Cassie and Talon had both been granted offices, albeit they were not the same impressive nature as she had warranted being oldest, and they lacked the spectacular view. Father may have disregarded her consideration for partner but having her give up her office would’ve been an embarrassment to them both. “Well, he didn’t waste any time informing you.” Their expeditious appearance likely meant they’d been informed of the meeting before the outcome. No doubt they’d been waiting here nearly since she left. 

“Well, what did you expect?” Her tone stung like venom. “I rather think he’s enjoying this free pass to get rid of his greatest disappointment.” 

“Cassie, don’t.” Kat’s voice was a low growl as she advanced on her sister. She could never figure out what she’d done to Cassie to turn them from sisters to near enemies. 

“Can you two not, for once.” Talon finally spoke, chiding them without moving from his seat, causing both their heads to snap in his direction. With their attention focused on him, he stood, and Kat found herself startled to now recognize how much like their father he’d grown, aside from his shaggy, black hair. 

Talon had been their surprise brother, the product of an affair of Marcus’s that had gone on most of their lives, dumped quite literally on their doorstep one day as a toddler. There had been no conversation with their mother beforehand, no preparing her for her husband’s bastard to suddenly be part of their family. Marcus had simply said to her, in his usual terse and cold manner, that the boy was his and he would stay, and she had best figure out how to live with it. Soreana had not exactly been the warm, caring type to begin with, and this caused her to finish her spiral into the neglectful, abusive, alcoholic she had been headed towards. 

“Everyone is getting what they want, for once in this family. Let’s leave it at that.” Talon wasn’t usually one for overt displays and she knew the moment must mean something to him. “Congrats Kat, I hope the change makes you happy.” There was a growing distance between them all with her no longer living at home and now not working with them, she held onto that glimmer of emotion from her youngest sibling. 

An annoyed sigh escaped Cassie and she grumbled. “Fine, congrats, go out and conquer the world.” 

Guard down, and feeling a bit lighter than she had in a while, Kat reached over and ruffled Talon’s hair as she had years ago when he was still smaller than her. It had taken her some months to warm up to the silent, scrawny child now sharing their home, but after a while, it was like he had always been their brother, in all respects, good and bad. He made a show of fending her off, not truly offended, hands idly swatting in her direction. Once he had successfully waved her off, she backed up, both of them ever so slightly laughing, and put her hand on Cassie’s shoulder. Her sister quickly focused her gaze back on the window, and the laughter died. After a tense moment, Kat pulled her hand back, silently disappointed, and shoving down a fresh wave of anger. Cassie would be Cassie, and an explosion between them wouldn’t change that, it never had. “Thanks you two, I know you’ll do great things here.” 

“Of course, and now we won’t have to worry about tip-toeing around you to do it.” Her words needled Kat, she never did know when to stop. Even when they were children she’d push until Kat had her pinned to the floor and was savagely pummeling her. 

Again she pushed aside that threatening red tide of fury, and it burned, knowing her sister felt like her words were winning some sort of battle between them. “Well, I need to finish some things up before I head out. Let’s grab dinner sometime soon.” 

Cassie just shrugged, an irritating smirk having found its way onto her lips. “Come on Talon, big sis is too busy to keep entertaining us.” She grabbed his hand and dragged him from his seat and behind her toward the door. He shot Kat a look of regret but waved goodbye and continued to follow. It wasn’t an unfamiliar sight, if she were Cassie’s sparring partner, Talon was her thrall, used to obeying her whims, a habit from a time when he feared rejection from his new family. 

Kat sank into her chair, exhausted at the back and forth. Her hopes had been high that her sister would come around this time, that they could part on decent terms. She rolled her eyes at her own delusions. Why had she expected them to start playing happy family now? A twinge of sadness gripped her and like the earlier bouts of rage she did her best to bury it, unlocking her computer. She needed to focus on putting things in order here so she could move on. 

Several hours and a multitude of words later she found herself nearly blinded as the sun began to dip down toward the horizon, shining directly in through her window and reflecting off her monitor. Sighing, she stretched and rolled her shoulders, feeling the stiffness turning into a dull ache. She’d been at this way longer than she’d planned. She was grateful that for the time being she lived alone, with no one to worry or fuss over her long hours and late nights. Except, she recalled, head sinking down into her hands, she had promised to call her fianceé much earlier. 

Rummaging quickly through her bag, she triumphantly retrieved her phone moments later and frantically began to type. _“Sorry, been busy. Can you talk now?”_

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for her phone to light and begin buzzing in her hand with an incoming call. “Hey.”

“Hey? Is that all I get?” Garen’s voice teased her. 

“Greetings my love!” She injected an overt cheerfulness into her voice, raising the pitch and imitating a much more bubbly person.

“That’s my girl.” He laughed and everything around her seemed brighter for a moment. He had the uncanny ability to make her feel worlds away from whatever family drama she was currently dealing with. Admittedly, sometimes she felt it was too often she leaned on him for that relief. “Still at the office?” His tone was slightly concerned. 

She grimaced, so much for not worrying anyone. “What gave it away?” 

“You always have that tone when you answer at the office. ‘Work Kat’, very professional sounding.” She could tell he was struggling to keep it light. “So, did you get to talk to him?”

Finally to the heart of the matter. “Yeah, I did it. He agreed.” 

“Hun.” He spoke with a tenderness that imparted a feeling of safety to her. “I’m so proud of you.” 

“Well…” She grimaced and wondered if he could hear it in her words. “There is one slight catch.” 

“Always is with your family.” If there was one major hurdle for them, it was family dynamics. He never seemed to be able to move beyond the Du Couteau reputation, one of ruthlessness and unscrupulous behavior, not entirely unearned. For their part, they had not exactly tried to disavow him of that position. In fact, neither of their families really embraced their relationship, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been invited to the Crowngaurd household for dinner. 

“I have to take a job with one of Dad’s old associates.” She hesitated, knowing what the next part would mean to him. “It’s with Noxus Holdings.” The words rushed out, running together. 

On the other end of the line, Garen sucked in a breath, the revelation and its implications washing over him just as they had her earlier. Demacia Corp meant more than just a job to many, it had always been owned and operated by the Lightshield’s, and often employed multiple generations of other families, much like Garen’s. The manufacturer of steel and “petricite”, a proprietary material said to be harder than that very steel, was a pillar of Valoran City, engaging in charitable endeavors and community improvement work, a fact that only increased the attachment many felt to it. All of which made her looming future employer look absolutely villainous to them. “Well, I’m sure it won’t be a permanent arrangement.” 

A nervous laugh escaped her as she sensed the tension rising between them and sought to diffuse it. Her eyes strayed to the diamond solitaire that crowned her left ring finger, the traditional beauty of her engagement ring so emblematic of the man that gave it to her. There was no way she’d let this come between them. “That’s for sure. I’m refuse to settle for being some nameless corporate drone. Anyway, what do you say to dinner to celebrate?” 

“Hmm, how about dinner and a movie in? My place, my treat?” Insinuation ran beneath his words, and it was not at all unpleasant. “You know this would be easier if we just moved in together.”

A snappy retort came to mind, but much like with her sister, she fought against it. This had so far been their worst point of contention. Their engagement had happened just as they were both finishing grad school. Garen had been eager to get a place together and start their life, but she hadn’t been ready to surrender the apartment she’d fought her family so hard for. She begged and bartered with her father to be allowed to move, finally agreeing to study law at Targon University if she could do it while in her own home. It represented too much to her, even if Garen never let up on the separation it caused them. “Soon babe. Let’s just take this step for now, let me get settled outside of here. I’ve got to pack up and get home. I’ll come by at six tomorrow. Love you.” 

“Love you too Kat. I’ll grab some champagne and we’ll make a proper toast.” There was an uneasiness hovering in the background that didn’t sit well with her. Her throat was dry as they said one more good-bye and hung up.


End file.
